Narrative WritingNarrative Writing

A Review A Review –– 10 Things to Remember 10 Things to Remember When Writing a NarrativeWhen Writing a Narrative

Number 1 Number 1 –– Your Story BeginningYour Story Beginning

Your story needs a strong beginning. You can Your story needs a strong beginning. You can achieve this using one of the following methods:achieve this using one of the following methods:

Dialogue (Conversation)Dialogue (Conversation) A QuestionA Question A Vivid DescriptionA Vivid Description An Interesting FactAn Interesting Fact Sound EffectsSound Effects

http://www.learnnc.org/lp/pages/2992http://www.learnnc.org/lp/pages/2992

DialogueDialogue

““ Hurry or youHurry or you’’ll be late!ll be late!”” called my mother called my mother from the bottom of the stairs. from the bottom of the stairs. ““Today of all days Today of all days you want to be on time.you want to be on time.”” If I had only know If I had only know what that day would bring, I would have stayed what that day would bring, I would have stayed in bed.in bed.

A QuestionA Question

Have you ever had a day when you wished Have you ever had a day when you wished you had stayed in bed? As I rushed to catch the you had stayed in bed? As I rushed to catch the bus on what seemed to be a perfectly normal bus on what seemed to be a perfectly normal day I had no idea what was ahead of me.day I had no idea what was ahead of me.

A Vivid DescriptionA Vivid Description

The sun was warm on my back as I raced The sun was warm on my back as I raced toward the waiting yellow school bus. As I toward the waiting yellow school bus. As I nestled into the worn leather seat I was greeted nestled into the worn leather seat I was greeted by the friendly voices of other excited children. by the friendly voices of other excited children. The look on my face was one of confidence and The look on my face was one of confidence and contentment. With a jerk the bus rumbled down contentment. With a jerk the bus rumbled down the road and I was on my way into one of the the road and I was on my way into one of the worst days of my life.worst days of my life.

An Interesting FactAn Interesting FactShock has been known to kill ten year olds. It Shock has been known to kill ten year olds. It

can cause their brains to explode and their heart can cause their brains to explode and their heart to stop dead still. These facts raced through my to stop dead still. These facts raced through my mind as I stood dumbfounded in front of my mind as I stood dumbfounded in front of my fifth grade classmates. I wish I had stayed in bed!fifth grade classmates. I wish I had stayed in bed!

Sound EffectsSound Effects

““Buzzzzzz!Buzzzzzz!”” The sound of my alarm clock The sound of my alarm clock droned in my ears as I struggled to come awake. droned in my ears as I struggled to come awake. With a start I sat straight up in my bed. This was With a start I sat straight up in my bed. This was my big day and I had to be on time.my big day and I had to be on time.

Number 2 Number 2 -- ParagraphsParagraphs

Be sure your story has paragraphs. They tell when Be sure your story has paragraphs. They tell when you're switching time, place, topic or speaker, you're switching time, place, topic or speaker, and they help break the page up so it is not just and they help break the page up so it is not just a solid block of writing. a solid block of writing.

How Do I Know When To Start a How Do I Know When To Start a New Paragraph?New Paragraph?

There are a few standard times to make a new There are a few standard times to make a new paragraph: paragraph:

When you start in on a new topic When you start in on a new topic When you skip to a new time When you skip to a new time When you skip to a new place When you skip to a new place When a new person begins to speak When a new person begins to speak When you want to produce a dramatic effect When you want to produce a dramatic effect

http://www.saidsimple.com/content/When-to-Make-a-New-Paragraph

Number 3 Number 3 -- Capitalization & Capitalization & PunctuationPunctuation

CapitalizeCapitalize Beginnings of Sentences Beginnings of Sentences Proper NounsProper Nouns

PunctuatePunctuate End Marks (question mark, period, exclamation End Marks (question mark, period, exclamation

marks)marks) Commas when joining two sentences with a Commas when joining two sentences with a

conjunction, addressing a person, with quotations, conjunction, addressing a person, with quotations, etc.etc.

Number 4 Number 4 –– Use Rich WordsUse Rich Words

Remember words such asRemember words such as saidsaid, , wentwent, and , and putput are are DEAD. Use words that describe the action.DEAD. Use words that describe the action.

WentWentNOTNOT

My dad My dad wentwent to work.to work.

BUTBUT

My dad My dad racedraced to work.to work.

SaidSaidNOTNOT

Jane Jane saidsaid she had a secret.she had a secret.

BUTBUT

Jane Jane whispered to Peterwhispered to Peter a wonderful secret.a wonderful secret.

Number 5 Number 5 -- Wow WordsWow Words

Show your reader that you have a highShow your reader that you have a high--quality, quality, firstfirst--class, superior, excellent, exceptional, class, superior, excellent, exceptional, outstanding, brilliant, extraordinary, outstanding, brilliant, extraordinary, incomparable vocabulary by using rich and incomparable vocabulary by using rich and varied vocabulary. varied vocabulary.

Don’t Use Use These Instead:

goodacceptable, admirable, commendable, praiseworthy,virtuous, accomplished, skilled,

bad Defective, erroneous, inadequate, substandard,corrupt, vile, distressing, severe, offensive, immoral

thing material object, article, concept, entity, apparatus, device, detail, statement, items.

big considerable, colossal, immense, sizable, vast, eminent, influential, paramount, prime, prominent

small diminutive, immature, minute, slight, negligible, petty, trivial, limited.

important far-reaching, grave, momentous, significant, substantial, prominent, notable

happy content, joyous, jubilant, thrilled, advantageous, favorable, fortunate,

sad sorrowful, cheerless, dismal, gloomy, melancholy, mournful, somber grievous

http://alon.hasharon.k12.il/new_ataralon/mikzoot/english/.%5Cdenise_text%5Cforcedownload.asp?fileToDownload=wowWords12class6.doc

Wow WordsWow Words

http://resources.sparklebox.me.uk/501-999/sb665.pdf

Number 6 Number 6 -- Show, DonShow, Don’’t Tellt Tell

The The Show, DonShow, Don’’t Tellt Tell method of writing is when method of writing is when the writer is able to create a picture in the the writer is able to create a picture in the reader's mind, to get away from the repetition of reader's mind, to get away from the repetition of such empty words like went, big, or said.such empty words like went, big, or said.

NOTNOT

Susan exercised.Susan exercised.

BUTBUT

Sweat poured from SusanSweat poured from Susan’’s forehead as she s forehead as she continued to do one hundred sitcontinued to do one hundred sit--ups .ups .

Number 7 Number 7 -- ConversationConversation

The Five Rules for Writing Direct QuotationsThe Five Rules for Writing Direct Quotations

Rule 1 Rule 2 Rule 3 Rule 4 Rule 5

Add quotation marks.

Separate source phrase from quote.

Capitalize the first word of the direct quotation.

Add end marks.

Add needed capitalization and punctuation.

ConversationConversation

RememberRememberYou must make a new paragraph every time a You must make a new paragraph every time a

different person speaks!!!! different person speaks!!!!

Number 8 Number 8 -- SentencesSentences

Vary your sentences.Vary your sentences. Are some of your sentences long and others short?Are some of your sentences long and others short? Do you start the beginnings differently?Do you start the beginnings differently? Do some sentences start with a part of speech other Do some sentences start with a part of speech other

than a noun or pronoun?than a noun or pronoun?

Number 9 Number 9 –– Figurative LanguageFigurative Language

Use a little figurative language to add interest to Use a little figurative language to add interest to your story.your story.

SimileSimile MetaphorMetaphor AlliterationAlliteration OnomatopoeiaOnomatopoeia

SimileSimilecomparison between two unlike things that have comparison between two unlike things that have

something in common using like or assomething in common using like or asExamplesExamples

It's been a hard day's night and I've been working like a It's been a hard day's night and I've been working like a dog. dog. -- The Beatles The Beatles

My heart is like an open highway. My heart is like an open highway. -- Jon Bon Jovi Jon Bon Jovi like two peas in a podlike two peas in a pod

like Christmas in summer like Christmas in summer as hungry as a bearas hungry as a bear

as nutty as a fruitcakeas nutty as a fruitcakeas quick as lightningas quick as lightning

MetaphorMetaphor

MetaphorMetaphor–– comparison between two unlike things comparison between two unlike things that have something in common without using that have something in common without using like or aslike or as

ExamplesExamplesPatty was a raging tiger when she lost her lunch Patty was a raging tiger when she lost her lunch

money. money. During the night the forest was a dark, frightening During the night the forest was a dark, frightening

battlefield.battlefield.

AlliterationAlliterationrepetition of usually initial consonant sounds in repetition of usually initial consonant sounds in

two or more neighboring words or syllables two or more neighboring words or syllables ExamplesExamples

down in the dumpsdown in the dumpsdo or diedo or dieright as rainright as rainsink or swimsink or swimpay the pricepay the priceback to the basicsback to the basicsgreen as grassgreen as grasslive the lifelive the life

OnomatopoeiaOnomatopoeiathe imitation of natural sounds in word form. the imitation of natural sounds in word form.

These words help us form mental pictures about These words help us form mental pictures about the things, people, or places that are described the things, people, or places that are described

ExamplesExamplesbuzzbuzzhisshissroarroarwoofwoofbangbangpoppophisshisssizzlesizzle

Number 10 Number 10 -- Plot StructurePlot Structure

http://www.learner.org/interactives/story/cihttp://www.learner.org/interactives/story/cinderella.htmlnderella.html

a a plot, including setting and characters a climax (This is when the plot is solved.) an ending

United StreamingUnited Streaming

Parts of a Story: Huck and Jim [05:34] Parts of a Story: Huck and Jim [05:34] http://player.discoveryeducation.com/index.cfm?http://player.discoveryeducation.com/index.cfm?

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BeginningBeginning In the beginning of your story, you should In the beginning of your story, you should

introduce your introduce your characterscharacters. . The reader should also know about the world The reader should also know about the world

your characters live inyour characters live in (the setting) and the something about each of the characters in your story.

The beginning of your story is also the place where your plot (the problem) is first introduced.

MiddleMiddleYour story needs to build to something exciting, Your story needs to build to something exciting,

the climax. the climax. Write about a simple conflict, a task that must be completed, a question that must be answered, or a barrier that must be overcome.

Rising Action

Climax

Beginning

Resolution

MiddleMiddle

IncludeInclude ActionsActions DialogueDialogue Sensory DetailsSensory Details Thoughts and FeelingsThoughts and Feelings Suspense (Remember to build to a climax.)Suspense (Remember to build to a climax.)

The EndThe End

RESOLUTIONRESOLUTION This is the big finish. The end should reveal how This is the big finish. The end should reveal how

you overcame your problem.you overcame your problem. It should also reveal a lesson learned or how the It should also reveal a lesson learned or how the

incident changed you. incident changed you.